Tuesday, 30 November 2010

On the subject of Rabbinical traditions about intersexuality, Tractate Yevamot in the Babylonian Talmud (leaf 64a) contains a tradition to the effect that Abraham and Sarah were intersexed. It states: 'Abraham and Sarah were [each of them a] tumtum, as it is said: ``Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were digged'' (Isaiah 51:1) and it is written: ``Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you'' (Isaiah 51:2). Rabbi Nahman said in the name of Rabbah bar Abuha: Sarah our mother was an 'aylonith, as it is said: ``Now Sarai was barren; she had no child'' (Genesis 11:30) -- she did not even have a womb.' The terms ``tumtum'' and ``'aylonith'' are intersex categories. A ``tumtum'' is one physical sex is indeterminable because there are apparently no genitalia, although determinate natal sex can sometimes (but only sometimes) be revealed by means of the surgical removal of an occlusion. An ``'aylonith'' is a woman without a womb -- clearly someone who might suffer from complete androgen insensitivity syndrome.

I wish for once that Theologians would Theologe more thoroughly, and actually read the scriptures they use to oppress others... not just the Child's Condensed Version, but the one with all the footnotes and commentaries. Including the Hebrew, Aramaic and Koin(Greek) versions, not just the translations.

4 comments:

Zimbel
said...

I've met a rabbi who appears to be able to theologically argue his way out of a paper bag. Mind you, he tends to lie to children when he's doing a service, but he still tries to broaden the understandings of the text and the main theological arguments about the text.

No ministers, pastors, or reverends, though.

I wonder if Christianity is too dependent on certain unusual beliefs about their texts. I can tell you that personally, my studying the bible was a major factor contributing to my changing to Atheism.

Probably the example is use of overstatement for emphasis, but it IS interesting.

I have yet to have anyone quote to me a scripture that forbids being born intersexed, nor one where God promises not to inflict similar inconvenient genetic and developmental issues on humans as occur in animals, due to it making morality difficult and requiring people to think.

Mind you, he tends to lie to children when he's doing a service Well, everything I learnt in high school Science was a lie, depending on how you choose to differ between simplifications and deceptions. Usually by preference rather than a consistent rule, in my experience.

About Me

Actually, I am a Rocket Scientist.
Also hormonally odd (my blood has 46xy chromosomes anyway) and for most of my life, I looked male, and lived as one, trying to be the best Man a Gal could be. Anyway, in May 2005 that started changing naturally for reasons still unclear, and I'm now Zoe, not Alan : happier and more relaxed not to have to pretend any more.
UPDATE - reason now identified as the 3BHSD form of CAH.

Reviews

This blog, written by a rocket scientist, is a fascinating collection of information, both personal and scientific, regarding intersex, transsexualism and related psychosocial and psychosexual issues....It is erudite and heartfelt. Just read the posts about the passport issue. You won't know whether to laugh, weep or crawl into a ball and rock gently in a corner - an amazing person.- David---The reason I so appreciate bright, perceptive people - as opposed to ideologues whose intelligence does little to illuminate - is that they manage to both instruct and learn with a certain grace. Among such rarities in the transblogosphere is Zoe, whose direct speech and clear humanity always make her worth reading, even if one doesn’t always agree with her every conclusion.- Val---The following is a request for permission to archive your A.E.Brain blog site which we have wanted to do for several years...The Library has traditionally collected items in print, but it is also committed to preserving electronic publications of lasting cultural value....Since (1996) we have been identifying online publications and archiving those that we consider have national significance....We would like to include A.E.Brain blog site in the PANDORA Archive...-Australian National Library